Punjab to have its own AIIMS

Punjab would soon have its own All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to give a boost to healthcare in the state, an official release said.

The AIIMS would be set up in the Doaba region, near Jalandhar.The decision was taken by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan during a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who called on him at Nirman Bhawan here Thursday, the release said.Underscoring the need for setting up an AIIMS in the state during the meeting, Badal said the hospital would provide an easy access to patients from across the state to avail quality treatment at the shortest possible time.

He said that the state government would provide 200 acres of land free of cost to the centre for the project.The chief minister also flagged the issue of drug menace in the state and sought the support of the union health ministry in tackling the grave problem.